Life Cycle Analysis

In order to gain a more holistic understanding of sustainability, additional metrics and evaluation
methods need to be considered. One of the most widely used methodologies is Life-Cycle Analysis
(LCA), and more specifically embodied energy.

Life-Cycle Analysis looks at the environmental impact associated with all stages of a commercial
product, ending in its disposal. Typically, this is referred to as a Cradle-to-Grave cycle in which a
product is disposed of at the end of its useful life and is replaced by a new product. In a more
sustainable Life-Cycle variant called Cradle-to-Cradle, a product is recycled into the same product
(such as glass bottles made from recycled glass bottles) or different products (such as glass wool
insulation made from recycled glass bottles).
While it is ethically and environmentally responsible to specify products that are recyclable beyond
their intended lifespan, a project’s design team is typically not involved with the disposal of building
materials at the end of their lifespan. Furthermore, a lot of recyclable materials end up in landfills
because the infrastructure to deconstruct, sort, and process various materials and assemblies is not
readily available or is cost-prohibitive. Because of this, interior designers, architects and specifiers
should prioritize products that are made from recycled materials and have low embodied energy
wherever possible, in addition to being recyclable.